Dusty Cicada vs West African Lantern Bug

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Dusty Cicada West African Lantern Bug
Scientific Name Yanga pulverea Zanna tenebrosa
Order Hemiptera Hemiptera
Family Cicadidae Fulgoridae
Size 35-50 mm 50-70 mm including head process
Habitat Woodlands Forests
Diet Sap Feeders Wood Feeders
Regions Madagascar West and Central Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, DRC, Nigeria)
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Dusty Cicada

A medium to large cicada with a dusty gray-brown body and translucent wings bearing dark venation. It is one of the more commonly encountered cicadas in Madagascar.

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Did You Know?

Its species name 'pulverea' means dusty, referring to the fine powdery coating on its body that helps regulate temperature.

West African Lantern Bug

A large planthopper with an elongated head process and colorful wings. The forewings are cryptically patterned while the hindwings display bright colors when spread. Despite its name, it does not produce light.

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Did You Know?

The enlarged head process was once thought to glow in the dark, giving this group its misleading common name of lantern bugs.